


Six Little Soldiers Sitting in the Snow

by AwatereJones



Series: Rhonda's Story [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Aliens, Alt Verse, Bloody snow again, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Suspence, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-21 23:54:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12468812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: So now they are on another Unit retrieval. Yet again wrong info, wrong place, wrong time ... really? Ianto must survive the downed Transporter in the middle of a snow blizzard. Oh, and maybe Unit were telling the truth about the alien creatures released by mistake? Seems Rhonda thinks this is a game of hide n seek. No trolls p;ez, love crumbly cake and this is Alt Verse OK? xx





	1. really?

Morning.

Sunlight off white sheets. Everything glows. A face there, Jack, just awake, fuzzy-haired, blinking right back at him.

Ianto, wearing his full weather gear, hat, thermals, parka ... lies on the bed across from him. He smiles, touches Jack, hand filthy, the colour of ground grease.

Jack smiles back, touching his hand, kissing it lightly. He cups his face, draws him to him. He kisses him softly. A shared gaze.

Jack's smile never changes as he draws his head slowly back and suddenly slams it forward- his skull smashing into his face...

BANG

Ianto's head bumps back and slaps the wall, he snaps awake. He blinks and then his head is thrown forward once more in a harder impact, a spine-shot-head-smack, tremors and teeth-buzzing as the Transporter drop-slides, jolts and now everybody's up rudely awake and scared as they look around the cabin of the Unit Transporter as it seems to skim the trees below.

"...the fuck was that?" a young soldier called Spike blusters as he pulls his harness tighter.

Ianto curses softly as he checks his own harness, this exercise has been one in futility. As per usual the supposed crash site was just another asteroid and Tosh was correct as always. Ianto is dreaming of Jack who went ahead with the rock in his hand and a mouth full of nasty for the General who sent out the alert. The supposed crate of zoo animals could not be found.

Those warm hands were lovely for a moment and he wishes he could drift back there.

Ianto hates the clean-up, always left to do the shitty work but does not complain. After all, he did sign up for this and it did get him something he never thought possible.

Jack.

Another shuddering drop and a squeak of fear to his left.

Ianto looks up at the flight-officer and she looks back frightened, fuck that terrified. He sees it.

BANG

Another ripping-wrenching sound as the Transporter tilts, rolls over upside-down- grown men scream shrilly.

Ianto is hanging by his harness, overhead bins pop, luggage dumps down. The Transporter twists over again, now right-side up, slide-dumps, the bottom drops out and everything lurches along with his stomach.

The Transporter catches air again for half-a-breath and the vessel groans/shudders metal frays... then the Transporter nosedives down.

Faster and steeper.

Debris flies front-to-rear, ransacked .... colliding with Ianto, everybody else... bags/bottles/book... THE FLIGHT OFFICER... catapults by Ianto, arms up, girl in a tornado- her heel smacks Ianto in the face...ammonia floods his sinuses, vision pinholes...

Don't-pass-out

The Transporter tips deeper, end-over-ends, guys fly by, grabbing at seats, screaming still, the treble of pure terror, a sound like the end of the world...

The Transporter catches, rights, barely, then banks down again as it starts a slow rotating dive with everyone, everything spinning like a lotto-drum, Ianto braces.

The Transporter breaks loose, bulkhead collapsing- can't hold- bolted seats shear off and fly

Ianto's muscles are screaming, hammer-locked, holding fast-The spin stops abrupt, flying sideways now, bottom-dropping glide, limbs shoot through windows, torn free...plastic panels, metal pops, heads crack walls, carpet- then- BANG- hard impact- hitting the ground- shaking/jarring- steel grinds, splits, moonlight gaps through torn airframe- a white world racing by- Truck-loads of debris shoot forward- a bloody head spins by like a bowling ball- Seats crush accordion pancake/belly rolls/ spine/smack- lights pop- glass explodes...snow rushes in, white avalanche, freezing air hissing past

The Transporter in pieces still slapping-sliding and Ianto upside down now with all sides crushing in at sideways speed, g-forces pulling- Ianto clenches, trying to keep his head on his neck, Ianto's side of the Transporter tears loose and shoots out of the spin, he knows he is screaming too, Jack's name wrenched from his throat ....whip-crack- thrown into the dark- slams into banks of snow- ploughs through- plumes into the air- IANTO- spinning- upside-down- then everything stops

dead...buzzing... ...white...

**...silent.**

.

.

..

Owen is humming to Rhonda in his lap as he twirls slowly in the office chair. Jack is still roaring in the other tent as the wind whips around them and the cold air keeps invading the tent like a fucking thief stealing the comfort.

Owen watches the little one stop her laughter and cant her head, turning it towards the mountain.

"Uncle Ianto on his way is he?" Owen asks softly, "About fucking time. Maybe we can all go home and Uncle Jack can get a wee time out, yeah?"

Rhonda's little face turns to him with open confusion and then Owen hears the flurry of activity starting in the camp, voices rising and the occasional shout of fear.

Something has happened.

Gone wrong.

Owen watches his little one's face as those brown eyes widen and she slowly lets her lips roll back to show her teeth. She is trying to tell him something but this species don't speak as young, like humans they develop speech as they grow.

Something has scared her and Owen holds her close crooning as he feels the tendrils of that same fear ticking at his ball sack.

Then Jack roars.

Primal.

Owen closes his eyes and curses softly as he buries his face in her fur.

Ianto.


	2. don't look

Ianto's chunk of Transporter half-buried, sticking out of snow with mounds glowering around it, flakes falling, calm.

Dead silence...

A tiny hole.

Ianto's fingers pop out ... his hand, clawing, smothered gasping as he digs, manic, shoves, scrapes, gets a hand out, his mouth up to the hole.

He can't breathe, mouth and nose snow-packed and he spits, blows snow- sucks air- shoves his arm up, gasping, frantic- gets his head free, yelling, gulping air, hoarse and he hears himself saying Jack's name again.

He scrambles up and out then collapses in the snow, upside-down, lopsided, everything buzzing- He looks up- a cloudless sky stretches above.

Stars.

More than he can ever remember seeing.

He flops upright, snow vertical now. He sits, hip-deep in it gasping, dizzy, smacked, buzzing, out of the dark/grey, adjusting, he sees snow, trees, metal, seats, bags- and bodies everywhere.

Arms, legs, pieces are scattered, dark dots in distance and a huge slab of wing stabbed vertically in the snow, towering, burning.

He turns his head slowly as he grimaces against the pain of movement to look to the other side.

Trail of destruction continues as a gaping swath, blackened, smashed trees and charred chunks of the Transporter cratered, broken tube of fuselage, stump of tail-assembly juts, smoking, acrid/toxic.

Ianto stares at it all, blinking...the stench of spilled jet fuel overwhelms him fast, noxious, chemical and he spits up an empty stomach.

"Shit" he croaks to himself, "How the hell do you keep getting yourself into this shit? Either someone up there loves you or someone down there hates you!"

Someone staggers to their feet nearby and flops right over again. Beyond that, in dark snow: someone else moving, crawling, standing, capsizing.

Gulping oxygen now, like a fish out of water, bringing all he can into his lungs ... Gods the air's thin ...they must be at higher altitude ... Ianto gets to his feet, wincing, pulls his legs out of arse-high snow, starts slogging toward the survivors.

Ianto passes body after sorrowful body, more and more and more of them, scattered over the distance. Ianto stares, keeps slogging.

He enters part of the fuselage that is cabin space, finding a body hanging in the entrance way that needs to be removed. Gods. Torn to pieces like some animal feasted.

_Great image. Good one. Twat._

Ianto sniggers as he hears Owen in his head and knows he must have a concussion at least to let that acrid little prick into his thoughts, slipping as he tries to find purchase on the metal flooring.

.

.

.

.

Owen is pulling on the strong boots Ianto packed for him and he hesitates as he looks at them, remembering the argument about not needing them and Ianto pointing out that boots are important in a survival situation.

He hopes Ianto's boots are as good as the ones he aquisitioned for him. Knowing Ianto he got the best for everyone else.

Owen looks up as Jack explodes into the tent and through it, exiting the other side without speaking.

Owen reaches for the other boot as he hears the sound of a transporter firing up its engines.

Snowstorm or not, Jack is going up.

.

.

.

.

Ianto and Crossman are half-dragging Spike through the snow, heading for the fuselage past body after body.

Crossman whimpers "Holy-fuck...this is, there's...some of their faces are gone"

"Stop looking at 'em." Ianto pants from the effort, something in his side pulling "Watch the trees, don't look around."

Spike stares at the sky crying, doesn't dare cast his gaze anywhere but up. Ianto stares at each dark clump, watching for signs of life...there aren't any...He stops at one body that is torn, bloody but recognisable and notes it's half-a-pilot, Ianto discerns what's left of the uniform so he looks up, squints into the distance, sees a large shape, convex, like an igloo might look. It's a chunk of smashed cockpit, half buried in the snow. Crossman sees it as well.

They look at each other.

"Radio." Ianto croaks.

"You think it'll work?" Crossman asks and Ianto shrugs. Not likely. They head for it anyway...

They reach the cockpit. Metal-shorn, squashed, windows blown

out- a tight crawl-space the only way in.

Ianto sinks to his knees, stoops to burrow, dig, clearing through wires and snow- crawling through the hole. Spike and Crossman wait outside...

"Fuck" Ianto pants as he lays in the tight space in the lap of a dead airman, looking for something they can use.

He removes the Emergency Beacon Wristlet from the body and tosses it out, then reaches for the manifest and flight manual.

Paper.

We need paper.

Right?

He finally slithers to to find the two men gathering up the offerings tht landed at their feet, Crossman reaching out to help pull him free and Ianto grunts as that side pulls again.

Damned inconvenient.

Ianto sighs as he lets his head rest against the cold metal for a moment.

.

.

..

Gwen stands watching the Transporter lift into the air, buffeted by the wind as it slowly swings back and forth.

More than one solider watching groans with worry, then it shoots up into the air as Jack gets the feel for the controls and starts to crawl up the trail.

It is not until she looks down that she sees something that stops her cold.

Jack's footprints.

Owen's footprints.

Rhonda's paw prints.

Ah shit.


	3. Snow white

Ianto stands with Crossman helping him.

They look out across the world of snow, smoke drifts in the breeze across the wreckage. A thrashed section of fuselage stands out...without a word between them, they start trudging toward it.

They come upon the demolished fuselage- embedded in the snow, frozen soil shoved up on impact- A gaping wound in the frame, splayed wide...an opening.

The three men clamber inside.

Chaos as they find people still upside-down and everybody is yelling, bleeding, and crying. Overhead bins ajar, shredded metal, scattered seats and oxygen-mask tubes tangled underfoot. Clothes tangles up with bodies like a washing machine mess.

A man is sitting to one side with his leg gone below the knee gasping, gaping, and holding his thigh- in deep shock, mind-fried, babbling.

Crossman kneels down next to him. "Billy. Bill. Hey, hey"

Billy looks up at this friend he has known for years like he is a stranger- keeps babbling.

Ianto pushes through to check the others.

Spike is holding a blanket to a man's guts, he's ripped open, blood pooling, He can't stop it and the man is gasping, terrified as Ianto eases Spike aside and steps closer then kneels to look at the wound.

A man is trying cell-phone after cell-phone littered around but there is no signal on any of them.

"They aren't going to work out here asshole. You think they got towers!? You calling the cavalry! You fucking calling a cab? Wake up Bron, we're fucked!" Crossman snaps, sick of the man's whimpering as he holds each one up to check it's screen for bars.

Bron hurls the phone he's holding.

Spike struggles with the man but the more he tries to staunch the wounds, the more blood flows. The man is gasping and panicked "Can you... why won't it stop, why won't the blood slow down... I got something in my chest, it feels wet inside, don't let me die, don't...let me...die, don't ...come on...ohfuckohfuck- oh fuck...no-no-no-no..."

The man looks at others "Why are they standing back ...why are you guys back so far! Get in here! Y'gotta get close! HELP ME!"

"Hang n there Matty, god, help me!" Spike cries as he tries to help the poor man.

Ianto is desperately trying to help and shifts his grip, something bursts, artery red- strafes/sprays his face, everyone else's...Ianto and Crossman fall backward and Spike is panicking with blood spurting as Matty wails, clutching his guts ... looks at Crossman pleading "Priest, do something, do something, I can't lose all this blood! There's too much coming out of me! I know this is wrong...it's all numb now... my whole middle..."

Crossman just stares at him as Ianto kneels back down. Matty recognizes him and is somehow reassured. "Ianto right? Ianto, good, you... can you do anything for me? I don't like this...this is not feeling right."

Ianto sees all the blood, the man going cadaver-gray...no hope.

"Matty. Listen. I have to say this." Ianto is calm, his hand patting Matty's neck near his pulse point, he can feel it and looks at him expectantly, "...You're going to die...okay. That's what happening."

"What the fuck are you telling him that f..." Spike splutters and Ianto glowers up at him, cuts him off cold. Everyone else stares at Ianto. Bron kneels next to Ianto and lays his hand on Matty.

Matty, wide-eyed stares up at both of them.

"It's OK" Ianto whispers.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Matty wails "no...wait, wait, wait, wait, I..."

Matty looks around at the others as terror seizing then abates like a fist clenching and unclenching, then Ianto speaks gently yet intently "Look at me- look at me Matt"

Matty- gasping- eyes closing- opening- gasping-trembling, head shaking- fight- blood going- quieting...anto won't let go of his eyes... "It's OK. It's OK. It'll wash over you...it'll start to feel warm like sinking into a hot bath, you want to be warm again right? Jack tells me it is like sinking into warm feathers or the embrace of your Mama pulling you to her breast. Let it move over you, it's alright. Let your thoughts go...all the good things. All the good things..."

Matty nods slowly, transported, eyes cast toward a future he won't see. Tears slip down his cheeks...silence swallows everything.

Drawing closer Ianto whispers, "Who do you see?"

Matty, trembling, death just a door away. It's now that he finds focus "Mama?"

"...let her take you then..." Ianto gives a warm a smile, a nod, sincere as he reaches out touching his forehead to stroke in a loving way "...let her take you...she wants to hold you now."

The spurting slows, stops- becomes a slow dribbling run.

Matty opens his eyes, looks at Ianto- and closes them again. They all stare down, then...clear as can be, Matty slurs "... _wait for me...Mama I'm coming..."_

Ianto and Bron keep their hands on him. The others stare. Matty goes still, the life leaves him _._ Bron takes his hand away like he touched a hot stove, he looks down at his hand as if it had betrayed him, seems ashamed... "I felt him go..."

No one responds...Ianto lowers his head, reverent, removes his own hand from Matty. He turns, looks at the others... silence... Spike stares.

"Did he just die?" Spike is dumbstruck "He just died didn't he..."

"Was that true?" Crossman asks, "What you told him about your Captain with his gift. Is it true? Does dying feel like that?"

"Does it matter?" Ianto asks wearily, "It did for him. All that matters in the end, his death was not cruel in the end."

.

.

.

.

Jack struggles as the Transporter clips some trees and Owen grips his seat, looking out into the darkening world below as he strains to see anything that might not be white.

Under his seat. All he needs to see if he doesn't want white to look at.

The little black beast moves as she searches too.

Ianto is down there somewhere.


	4. head count

"This everybody?"

Blank stares, eyes agog, everybody still badly shaken.

"Is this everybody who's still alive?" Ianto asks again.

Hicks is processing as he looks around "...Uh- yeah- I- guess, uh-we're..."

Ianto nods, counting "OK, we got six. Six that we know of."

The others, looking at Ianto, just blinking up. Crossman stands and notes that Billy has passed out "I don't know how much longer Bill's gonna last, we need to get medical Ass..."

Ianto speaks as if ignoring Crossman "...we need a fire. We smashed those trees out there coming in. We should gather up that wood and anything else that'll burn, seats, luggage, anything..."

Nobody moves. Ianto turns and starts going through Matty's pockets.

"What are you doing?" Bron asks softly.

Ianto pulls a bic-lighter from Matty's pocket and tosses the lighter to Burke as Burke stares back at him.

"I said we need a fire. It's ten below and dropping." No answer. Ianto glares at them now."So we don't die? We build up the fire. Then we find food, then at daybreak, we figure out which way west is and start walking."

They don't move as Ianto continues "Nobody's going to find us. Not here."

Spike looks to Crossman with panic seeping in "Somebody'll find us-somebody's fucking searching or something- they know we went down..."

"-They have to, our Transporter fell off the radar, they would have to know" Crossman looked to Ianto.

"If they send fifty Transporters, maybe they'll find us, but they won't send fifty Transporters...and it doesn't matter, we don't have enough time to wait for the one or two they _will_ send." Ianto explains, "See that ridge over there? That was on my left coming up. It's on the wrong side. We are on the wrong wide of the mountain. The wind must have pushed us off course as we went down. This storm means they will not fly until daylight, we don't have all night to wait like good little boys."

"So we're fucked if we stay, probably fucked if we go" Spike snorts, rubbing his face, then sighs, "We stop we die. We move then we might get to a spot with a signal."

Spike is absolutely right. The rest of the men realize this at once. Ianto doesn't let it deaden their will.

Still no reaction. Too spooked...Ianto gauges it..inertia they don't need so Ianto took a breath and asked "Unless you want to freeze to death. Cuz' that's the one thing that _will_ come for you."

Crossman gapes at the recently dead Matty.

"I've got kids. I've got kids to get back to..."

"Everybody's got kids to get back to, wives, family..." Hicks agreed and they all nod numbly as Ianto pulls a ski-jacket loose from under a crushed seat, slides into it even through it is a size too big. Finds a heavy flannel shirt, slips that on.

"Good, so we got goals in mind. Family, wives, whatever." Ianto says as he pries open the overhead bin at his feet...blankets inside- he grabs a bundle, uses one like a scarf, starts for the opening.

Hicks and Bron locate sweatshirts, flannels, jackets then One-by-one the others start to mobilize, gather outerwear, blankets- and follow Ianto outside.

.

.

.

.

The light is fading but Jack thinks he has worked out the problem, cursing as he reaches the extraction point with no sign of the wreckage below that they expected. He sets the Transporter down and opens the door, both men clambering out to stand in the swirling snow and look around with confusion.

"So where are they then?" Owen asks with a grimace, the cold biting at his face.

"Well, they definitely left, we definitely came up their expected flight path and they were definitely NOT there" Jack replies, his hands in his pockets as he looks around with growing impatience.

"So?"

"So, they went down somewhere else" Jack walks along the edge of the encampment and looks out over the mountain below. "Ianto will soon work out how to signal for help, he will know the Transporters can't fly at night so he will try to find a way to keep warm and move the others down the mountain towards any search parties."

"If they survived" Owen says softly, "Jack, you need to..."

Jack is walking away, not wanting to hear anything negative right now, his heart telling him Ianto is alive and mobile.

He has to be.

Jack will not accept any alternative.

Jack stands and looks up into the snowstorm, cursing the fact he has to get Owen back down in one piece, then wait a long shitty night.

It is not until Owen starts to curse loudly the he realises there is another problem and he turns to find Owen running after a little line of tracks and it is when he starts calling Rhonda's name that Jack recognises the little paw prints.

As if things were not bad enough.

Really?


	5. I hate being right all the time Ianto thought to himself

The men gather loose wood, loading it into blankets, dragging them across the snow to fuselage in the distance.

Hicks starts dragging his load back, the others trail.

Ianto in the rear watches the others slogging, snow crunches under boots as he looks out at the night...the tundra, dark clumps, bodies, bags and the snow just starting to fall. Something triggers and He stops, suddenly as silence moves in, footsteps recede, the others keep going while Ianto keeps peering into the dark.

One dark clump in snow, a hundred yards off- can't see if it's a bag or a body, can barely make out- but it looks like it's moving.

Ianto drops the wood and takes another step as it moves again just shadow in a shadow like someone trying to get up ...shudders... shakes... convulses...Ianto's eyes widen as his neck prickles and he yells "Hey! I'm coming"

"Hey I'm coming I see you..." Ianto yells as he runs towards the downed man "I see you!"

The clump is still twitching, shuddering and Ianto gets closer, seeing the lump of a back... shoulders... fur-lined... rising up... _Twitching_... "hey!"

IANTO is still running but slows, looking closer as he sees two glowing eyes slide up towards him.

IT'S A DRAYGORN

_ripping at a dead-man is one of the alien species they were tracking, similar to a mountain lion but with shaggy fur and deadly appetite. There had been no sign and Jack had been ready to pass this off as another false alarm but now Ianto stands watching it tearing at the dead man's scalp snapping up chunks of flesh._

Ianto rushes in yelling " _GET OFF HIM YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"_

The Draygorn's head comes around but it doesn't move, just watches Ianto charge "GET THE FUCK OFF OF HIM!"

The Draygorn stares, doesn't turn to flee, doesn't flicker in its consideration of Ianto, closing then he's hit blindside like a bus smacking him and he tastes ammonia in the back of his throat, fighting a blackout.

He's suddenly face-down in snow. Shoved, smothered, suffocating...ANOTHER DRAYGORN locked on him from behind with claws/teeth/rabid blur as Ianto twists madly, white puffs of ski-jacket flying, blood-marked Ianto roars, shoves up backward, the animal's full thrashing weight on him and gets to his knees, feels teeth tearing, trying to purchase skin as he twists/writhes wild then drives up off that knee, fighting the hundred plus pounds on his back in the knee-deep snow, struggling against the Draygorn's snarling/snapping.

He staggers up, gets a leg under then pivots, turns his body,

Spinning as the Draygorn hangs with him, hind legs splaying, paddling air but he won't let go in a blur of fur/teeth/paws,

Ianto's arms batting, wild, trying to swat as he gets his arm behind, gets a lock, fistful of fur, punching away trying to yank the thing off then he's hit again-THE FIRST DRAYGORN- on his other side.

Ianto staggers, but stays up with the weight of two creatures hanging on him causing extra strain on his screaming muscles. He thrashes right-left-right- crazy to get them offâ€”growling as loud as they are but they're holding fast and Ianto finally twists far enough, grabbing for the one locked under his armpit, burrowing. He sees the top of its head, grabs the Draygorn's ears.

Ianto roars like Jack would-pulls hard enough to yank its ears off but The Draygorn only burrows deeper up under Ianto's arm, Ianto screams and shifts, starts bashing down on the top of the Draygorn's head with his elbow, harder, harder trying to crack its skull but the Draygorn digs deeper and Ianto hears the dull 'click' as its jaws lock.

The other Draygorn is still on Ianto's back, teeth snagging his shoulder, mouth moving over it so Ianto slams a free elbow back into the Draygorn's jaw, knocks it loose, it yelps, snaking to the snow and Ianto turns, tries to smash the other one but this complicates his balance and he keels over backward into snow- the Draygorn goes for his throat with teeth gnashing like clattering dinner plates.

Ianto gets both arms under it and shoves pressing it up off him as he gets fast to his feet, dazed, punchy with weak knees.

He bounces off a tree and looks up to find Hicks is right there, Ianto didn't hear him over his own screaming....Hicks is swinging a log, yelling at the beasts and driving them off.

Both Draygornes bolt back, circle, stare at Hicks with their dark silver and blue fur bristling on end like blades of grass as they growl and gnash and snap.

Pike and Bron come rushing up see Ianto, the Draygornes and arm themselves with loose timber.

Ianto- wobbly- shaking- spitting blood- backing away-then...just like that, the Draygornes turn and lope off into darkness...

gone.

.

.

.

.

"Did you hear that?" Owen stops walking, pulling the large coat around him more as he turns to Jack.

"Yeah, Draygorn. Damn it, they are here" Jack spits with rage, "That container did split on impact."

"It came from that direction" Owen points in the direction the little paw prints are leading them and Jack nods silently. He is well aware that Rhonda is running straight into the belly of the beast.

He love for her Uncle Ianto more powerful than any fear of possible danger.

Jack starts to run as well, his own motivation a powerful fuel.

Owen looks back towards the Transporter, now just a speck and adjusts the medical kit.

He continues to march with the look of a condemned man.


	6. what next?

Everyone stares after the creatures as they disappear into the murky darkness, looking around at one another. Just the sounds of Ianto trying to get his wind.

He bleeds, shivers, glances at the others then turns and starts walking back for the wood he dropped. He bends down, restacks the wood and starts silently dragging it back toward the broken fuselage.

Ianto has blood blooming through his jeans as he chucks his pile of wood on the growing fire that the rest of the men huddle in, clinging to the heat. Ianto scans the darkness around them watching, wary. The others stare at his face covered in cuts and a mask of drying blood. He looks up. A loaded beat, then "Must've pissed 'em off."

Hicks and Bron laugh. It's as tense as death but they laugh...so does everyone else.

Ianto sits, Hicks helps him to the ground. Ianto looks down, pants black with blood, like his jacket. He starts peeling the jacket off groaning with fresh pain as Hicks and Crossman help him, black blood sticking to the jacket and the shirt which are totally shredded.

Hicks carefully pulls the tattered shirt off, blood drains from dime-sized holes in Ianto's side as the others stare at his scared back all teeth-gouged, claw-sliced.

"See if there's any thermals lying around, or anything heavy, Sweatshirt something in any of the luggage." Crossman asks as he helps Ianto pull up his pants leg to find puncture wounds. Bron grabs handfuls of snow and starts wiping the wounds clean. Ianto finds a broken piece of plastic window then looks at his reflection: White. Bloody. Ghastly.

"Do we have any dressing? Medical supplies?" Hicks asked.

Crossman forages, finds hand-towels, frayed pillow slipcovers.

Burke returns, thermals in hand. A hoodie too. Looks like it'll fit.

Ianto nods his thanks, takes them, Hicks helps him slip the thermal on, it's tight, then the hooded sweatshirt. Bron takes blankets, starts packaging Ianto up, best he can. Ianto bites back pain- blood stains blossom up through the blankets.

"How bad did they get you?" Hicks asks with worry in his voice.

Downplaying it Ianto smiles, "Broke the skin some."

"Yeah, they did didn't they." Hicks snorts "How are your ribs?"

"I don't know, I can't see 'em."

"They're bruising pretty fast." Hicks sighs as he checks.

"They don't feel cracked."

As he swabs blood Hicks curses softly, "Fuck, they really got at you."

"Maybe I'll turn into the Draygorn-man now." Ianto snorts with amusement, his adrenalin still thrumming.

Spike, his small smile quickly curdling to concern. "wait...¦ that's not...that shit's not real, right? You can't..."

Ianto looks over at him. Doesn't have the strength to laugh as hard as he'd like to at that one.

"Asswipe. What do you think-?" Crossman splutters.

"I don't know, like with rabies or whatever, I didn't think the motherfucker was gonna grow claws and teeth and shit!" Spike whines as Ianto lets his head fall back.

Bron doesn't find any of it funny- gazing out into the Darkness "Are there more of them?"

"Draygornes? Maybe. Yeah. Most likely." Ianto knows there are five or six to a crate, as the manifest stated when they were told of the lost cargo from the space freighter. "But we shouldn't be worrying about them right now. We should be worried about finding food. Peanuts, frozen dinners, anything we can scrounge up.."

Everyone is staring at him and he rolls his eyes "...they're probably only passing through."

"Passing through?" Hicks snorts. "On their way to their summer house?"

They all start to laugh softly as they see how stupid that sounds.

.

.

.

.

Jack is crouching against the storm, the map in his hands fluttering in the wind as Owen struggles to help shelter him. He can see the most likely scenarios in his head and he doesn't like any of them, the thought of Ianto in danger so soon after the last fuckup is too much to comprehend.

Jack folds the map and rises, looking at the other ridge and he squints, "Owen? Fire?"

"Yes please" Owen huffs, then turns to see what Jack is looking at, squinting as well.

"Well, fuck me. It is a fire. Ianto?" Owen says with wonder, "Little bottler. I'll be damned."

"She's seen it too, look at the lengthening of her stride" Jack said as he looked down at the disappearing tracks, the snow covering them now.

"She's running for him" Owen agreed, "I hope those fucking things are not out there too, she's just a baby ya know."

"Even as a baby she is already stronger than one of those" Jack tries to comfort, "She is clever. She will be careful."

"Yeah, but there is just one of her" Owen is fumbling with his pistol now, "six of those. First we had a jungle, now we've got a snow globe, what next? A desert? Chased by a brain eating Mummy? I need a fucking holiday!"

Jack couldn't argue that one, Ianto had said the same thing that morning.


	7. red flag

Ianto rummages in his duffel, picks through, finds a scavenged packet of instant-coffee, rips it open, pours it dry down his throat, follows it with bottled water.

He readjusts, eyes wide now, a nice caffeine surge tweaks acuity as he fixes his gaze on the perimeter...watching.

Ianto is looking out at Burke posted by the fire, his shift, but Ianto still on guard exhausted and lying among scattered food trays, wrappers that they've shared/split up what little there was to eat "Hey..."

Burke looks over, bleary, bloodshot, fighting exhaustion "I still don't know your name."

"Burke. My name is Burke."

"We never met up there." Ianto says then smiles, "Ianto."

The man nods and waves a hand distractedly in greeting.

"Don't drift off on us Burke." Ianto says softly, flicking an energy bar at him.

Burke gives a weak smile, a nod to reassure himself. Ianto leans back, his eyes start to close...he fights to keep them open but finally succumbs to sleep.

.

.

.

.

Rhonda has stopped running and she stands scenting the air, the faint scent of her Uncle growing stronger and she is excited now.

This is the most interesting hide and seek they have played so far and she is sure he will be surprised to find that she wins again. He promised they would play today, she knew he wouldn't let her down. He never did.

With a soft yip of glee she leaps into the void, confident that she will reach the other side of the ravine.

Like any toddler, she has no concept of consequence as she hits the other side and leaps about excitedly, then remembers her game.

Rhonda shakes herself and starts to run towards her friend.

.

.

.

.

Ianto has finally passed out as the others all lie sleeping and Crossman sits on watch, has to piss. Gets up quietly, tiptoeing past the others.

Crossman steps outside the fuselage, freezing, scared to go too far as he moves gingerly across the snow, looking around, fearful.

He stops, unzips then starts pissing in the snow.

A moment or two of silence before a Draygorn rockets out of the darkness right into his belly driving him backwards, slamming him to the permafrost, ripping, snarling incisors, snapping into his guts as he gasps for breath, opens his mouth to scream.

Another Draygorn shoots down, locks on to Crossman's throat, tearing the sound from it and nobody hears him die.

.

.

.

.

Ianto awake, sun is up, fire dying, and snow forever with a dark rim of trees, far distance.

Ianto stands, looks out, no sign of Draygornes as the others sleep.

He stacks more wood on the fire then goes out to perimeter, unzips and takes a leak.

He sees paw-prints, everywhere, yellow blots in the snow- all around them...Ianto scans, further out.

Crossman's remains fluttering in the breeze. He sprints over, shouting back over his shoulder for the others. Hicks and the rest of the men stumble out, rubbing sleep from their eyes, stumbling over to Ianto. They all get a good look at what's left of Crossman, strewn all over the snow- Hicks's stomach revolts.

"They _ate_ him!" Burke whimpers "Jesus, they ate him..."

"They weren't eating him. They were just killing him" Ianto corrects him, looking around as he senses something nearby.

"I think we need to move" Spike says with a shaky finality, trying to look stronger than he feels and Ianto gives him some support, agreeing with a nod of his head and a soft pat of his hand on the young man's shoulder.

The sooner they were off this mountain the better.

.

.

.

.

Owen is clambering in the fuselage as Jack walks to the edge of the crash site and stares down the ridge in the direction he knows Ianto will have chosen.

Owen is looking for him too, Jack letting him panic as he knows Ianto is not here, the red silk tie fluttering in the breeze at the edge of the trail heading down tells him so.

A double Windsor.

Middle of madness and his love still ties something to the branch of a tree with a double Windsor.

Ianto is still in control, still has his wits about him and is still not above leaving love letters only Jack can recognise. Jack breaks the banch so he can retrieve the tie still knotted, slipping it into his pocket.

Finally Owen stumbles out with a solemn frown, "He's not one of those poor bastards."

"Good" Jack says soothingly, "Come on. Let's follow the little cub, she will lead us to my Tiger."

"Jack?" Owen calls as he hesitates, finding another corpse outside of the immediate area, "Does this look like propeller damage? Or teeth?"

Jack moves swiftly, his heart now pounding as he looks at the corpse and the paw prints that are way too big and way too formidable to be Rhonda's.

"Fuck" Jack kicks at a mound of snow with growing rage.

He had dumped Ianto in it again, hadn't he.

Damn it.


	8. Ianto heard it on the wind

Further and further back Ianto stumbles with Burke just ahead of him looking pale, sickly.

"Let's slow up. Slow down" Ianto asks.

Nobody likes that idea as Ianto stops but the others stop grudgingly. Ianto is looking back at Spike who is struggling through the snow...something catches the corner of his eye.

A line flitting in shadows, you look, it's gone.

Ianto turns.

A Draygorn is running across the snow, full sprint straight at Spike. Burke sees it and stumbles away, terrified as instinct pushes Ianto to run.

Ianto is charging Spike and the Draygorn as he rushes toward Burke, yelling at Spike who sees Ianto then sees the Draygorn.

Eyes widen as he starts hobbling as fast as he can. The Draygorn sees Ianto coming and changes direction as it starts running right at him.

Ianto keeps his line, the others rush in behind him as two more Draygornes appear from the other side, charging at Ianto who can't turn as he's committed to the one coming at him.

Ianto yells "Get on those fuckers- get on 'em!"

The others hesitate as they see them heading toward Spike, then start chasing those Draygornes, leaving Ianto alone to face his approaching ones as the two on Spike are too close, in range and they shoot forward into Spike hitting him like a freight train, the full weight of each Draygorn colliding with his body at nearly thirty miles per hour, smashing/fracturing as he goes down hard, hollering, and shrieking.

Everyone stops.

Ianto looks at the Draygorn in front of him.

The Draygorn holds, stares back at Ianto.

Spike fights for his life but is being bit in the face and neck, teeth gouge flesh...¦ hook bone... pull and tear... more members of the pack race in, six adult Draygornes, ravaging him as Ianto screams at the Draygornes, moves laterally as the Draygorn in front of him mirrors his movement cutting him off, letting the rest of the pack feast.

Everybody's shocked at the speed and the ferocity as Spike cries out, terrified, final.

Ianto, enraged screams right at the Draygorn in front of him. "YOU FUCKING COCKSUCKERS WE'RE GONNA KILL-YOU!"

The Draygorn bares teeth as it feels Ianto's aggression. Ianto looks for something to heave and finds a branch, tosses it but the Draygorn sidesteps, stands firm.

Spike is dead already, loose limbs being torn, rag-doll, the men want to charge in but don't dare. Suddenly the Draygornes stop lift their heads, look at the men, red-muzzled.

They leave Spike, turn and trot away...The Draygorn standing sentry in front of Ianto peels off, joining the rest of thepack.

The men stare after them suddenly alone in the clearing.

The only noise is the softly falling snow in wind gusts.

Spike is torn to pieces, tufts of down from his ski-jacket saturated in blood skitter across the snow.

Hicks stares then he starts for Spike but Bron reacts "Wait, they might be tricking y.."

"Wait! He's dead..." Burke, terrified, staring at all that red running from Spike.

Hicks keeps going and Ianto follows him with eyes up scanning...Ianto arrives and stands next to Hicks, both baffled and awed, gazing down at Spike's remains...

"What the fucking hell...for what?" Hicks says softly. "For what? They just killed him, they didn't eat a single bloody piece."

"...I don't know."

Ianto then begins scooping snow over the remains, covering red with white. The cold hitting Spike's exposed parts causes tremors, pre-rigor twitches rippling across his limbs and Hicks leaps back.

"Fuck! Wait, he's alive, he's moving, he's moving!"

"It's nerves, the nerves are still firing, forget it, he's gone..." Ianto keeps covering Spike, the tremors gradually diminish, tapering off, the body settling in state. Hicks stares at Spike's face, pocked with bite marks, dead eyes cast skyward, snow covering the left but not the right...Hicks has to look away.

Ianto straightens up, gazing down at the snow mound.

.

.

.

.

Jack has found the first scuffle site. He looks around as his eyes drink in the scene, reads the story written in blood and gore.

Ianto is still moving down, still keeping a good pace but he must have stopped to rest at some stage, hopefully this means they can catch up.

Jack turns to Owen, "Come on. We have to push on."

Owen tries the whistle, trying to call to her and is surprised when Jack reaches out to silence him. "She's not the only one out here with teeth Owen!"

"Shit" Owen says softly, sliding it into his pocket.

Jack leads the way.

.

.

.

.

Ianto turns his head as he hears a faint whistle on the wind and turns to look back up the mountain with surprise, then alarm as he knows that sound well.

Owen is calling Rhonda.

Rhonda?

Ianto now has a new concern as he searches the tree line.

Why the hell is she up here in this mess?


	9. closing the gap

They press on. Their pace picks up.

A shred of moonlight on them, snow glows faintly. Ianto watches the tree-line between light and dark and he catches sight of something...A Draygorn- trotting at the edge of the group, flanking them...Ianto touches Hicks's arm then flicks his head so he looks, the others look too as the Draygorn keeps his line, moving parallel and watching them.

Ianto scans left- ANOTHER DRAYGORN- just as far, their other flank- like the other one, he just watches...disappearing in and out of the darkness-Ianto gazes into the haze and grips his knife tighter...the trees appear out of the haze before them.

The forest is close now, within running distance.

Dark redwoods and pines, a depthless black world.

"Are we any safer in there?" Bron asks fearfully.

Ianto, still watching the snow, the Draygornes on their flanks...then ANOTHER DRAYGORN â€¦ right in front of them, from nowhere, blocking their path to the trees- standing/staring as everyone stops dead and stares.

...fuck...

Ianto angles away from the Draygorn blocking their pathâ€”he starts walking again- The others follow.

"Keep walking. Don't stop. And don't run." Ianto says softly, not looking at their captors.

Burke can't take it- looks from the trees to the Draygornes and bolts. He starts running as fast as he can and Ianto yells after him "Don't fucking run"

Burke charges for the trees and the Draygornes start for him. Ianto throws his pack down and starts chasing Burke trying to run him down but the Draygornes are coming straight at them again and they attack, slam into Burke.

Burke drops his knife, topples over. Ianto runs faster, straight at the Draygornes as Hicks, the others, hesitate and charge after him.

Ianto has his knife up as he reaches Burke, slashes at the back of the Draygorn trying to get at Burke's throat. It snap-turns, teeth flashing at Ianto but Ianto slashes in again, the Draygorn flips back, off Burke.

Burke is still in the snow, Draygornes all over him, arms, legs as Ianto slashes at the next Draygorn. Hicks reaches them and starts slashing too, the Draygornes evade, hold on.

Bron arrives, all of them, flailing blades, whizzing wild as the Draygornes snap, release Burke then backing off, circling as Burke is bleeding yet he manages to scramble up.

Draygornes circling, Ianto, the others. Ianto looks at the snow, blood from the Draygornes, spotting something that makes his heart flop in his chest.

The little ball of fluff is twice her normal size as she screams her challenge, running and tumbling down the slope towards them and Ianto watches with open shock as she simply careens though the equally stunned Draygornes and comes to a stop in front of her beloved Uncle Ianto, her mouth open laughing.

The Draygornes circle, snarl.

She smells...wrong.

The men collapse in, backs to one another, knives up with Rhonda clinging happily to Ianto's leg. Ianto sees the Draygorn with a limp, blood dripping from its haunch and he plays a hunch, lunges with his knife as the Draygorn retreats/jumps- He scared it.

"Yeah! Fuck you! Come on! Come on in here you pricks!" he roars "Back to back now, show them the knives! We cut 'em! We hurt 'em!"

Ianto is baiting them and the Draygornes are still circling, but widening their orbit, staying back.

Ianto looks at the guys then at the trees. He and Hicks look at each other "Let's get into the trees. Everybody got legs?"

"Burke?"

"Yeah- yeahâ€”"

"You can run?"

"Now you want me to run?"

"Now you need to, yeah."

Burke, drained deep, the attack took a lot of him maybe

everything. In spite of that "I'm good, I can do it...I can do it."

"Let 'em get back, push a little, push 'em toward the trees...NOW!" Ianto yells and they break, all running for their lives into the trees as Ianto scoops up the pup and finds the strength to push on.

Ianto is leaning against a tree with the others back to back as well before he realises what this means.

Rhonda is here.

Jack is not far away.

_Just hang on a little longer._

.

.

.

High on the ridge Jack has reached the campsite and read the signs, running now without regard for the medic who has to keep up and scoop up the Great Coat that was discarded in the snow.

Jack doesn't care about material things, his breath coming in short bursts as he seems to skim the top of the snow. The same snow Owen flounders in.

Ianto is close.

Jack can smell his fear.

_I'm coming Holdfast._


	10. Guide

They have run into almost total darkness as giant timbers tower, a maze of ancient fallen trees, lightning-falls, all angles, stretching away from the snowy ground.

Ianto and the rest of the men run as fast as they can, tree limbs slap and catch and tear as they plough through, emptying their lungs and come around a huge tree.

gargantuan.

They take cover in its hollow gasping, looking back...nothing. No sign of the pack...not even a single Draygorn.

"Are they there? Are they there?!" comes a hiss as Ianto struggles with the little pup clinging to him with glee, her face rubbing into his throat.

"Get as deep in here as you can." Ianto whispers and everybody squirms into the hollow, sardine-tight, winded, everybody battling for air.

"Fuck ...fuck, man" Bron is in shock. Hicks, gasping- looking at the endless dark maze around them- silence... breath misting...Ianto feels it out, looks ... smells...doesn't like it.

"Forget it. We gotta keep moving." Ianto finally decides.

They look at Ianto.

Blink.

Hicks snarls with disbelief, pissed "Fuck that! You don't know what the fuck you're talking about! Don't Run/Run, get to cover/LEAVE COVER. FUCK YOU!"

"It's not enough! They can still flank us, if we can move, we have to." Ianto whispers, motioning with his spare hand for the man to stop shouting.

Idiot is alerting.

Rhonda growls softly as she turns her head to glare at the man as well, his anger disturbing her cuddle. She earned it for the love of gods, she won the game didn't she?

"We got in here! We rest! We need the rest!" Bron agrees.

"I'm not moving! Fuck you! I'm not moving!" Hicks says petulantly.

Ianto starts out of the hollow down the snowy slope, under vast fallen trees. The others are terrified and hanging back. Ianto looks back at them, almost kindly whispers "Come on. You stay here they'll overrun you."

They all get to their feet and follow Burke, Bron then, reluctantly- Hicks.

Deeper into the maze, near-black, slashes of moonlight cut the snow vertically, the dead trees loom down- ancient limbs hang covered in snow like Santa's beard.

They walk down into a gully, rocks, trees surround an ice cliff. Ianto stops.

"Here. Let's make a fire. Fast." Ianto barks and everybody looks around.

"They'll see a fire." Hicks points out.

Ianto has his pack off his shoulder, pulling pieces of wood Free "They know where we are."

Ianto looks up to see the fear, sighs, "They're waiting...we spooked 'em, I don't know but they haven't left."

"This is a fucking dead end! We're boxing ourselves in!" Hicks argues.

"They can't get in behind us." Ianto points out "They'll have to hit us out front."

"Yeah and push us off that fucking cliff!"

Ianto places lighter to kindling and watches it as it catches, "Think for a minute. Rhonda is here, you think she is alone? Jack has to find us, he will see the flames too. We need to be seen here in the fucking dark!"

Everyone stares into the dark as the fire builds slowly. For a long time, everybody just breathes.

Ianto is cuddling the baby when he senses a shift near him, placing her down to play with his backpack. She growls and wrestles with the straps as he moves to a crouch, still watching the fire as if disinterested.

Ianto doesn't move, waits as Hicks comes in low, slashing, doesn't see how close to the fire he is. Ianto drives a boot down, kicks up ash and ember hitting Hicks flush in the face, blinding him as Hicks shrieks, flails with the blade. Ianto grabs/grapples, arm-bars Hicks as little teeth and claws seize the man's boot raking his shin, taking his balance as Ianto is ripping his arm up his backâ€”popping his shoulder at the socket.

Hicks screams, knife falling away. Ianto shoves his face towards the fire, grabs the knife, then, sensing something he looks up...and sees the ALPHA MALE, his big muzzle dripping gore, licking blood off his snout, watching the men fight...just standing there, staring. Everybody looks, gape-jawed.

Hicks rolls around, screaming in pain.

"Stop moving. Stop. It's dislocated." Ianto says to Hicks, but not taking his eyes off the Alpha.

"You piece of shit! Pop-it-back in! POP-IT-BACK-IN!" he whines as Rhonda renews her grip on the man's leg, now snarling over his body at the new threat.

Ianto plants a hand on Hicks's shoulder blade and the other around his bicep- shoves-pulls, resetting the arm in the socket. Hicks leaps up, spitting fury, seizure-like- then he sees the Draygorn...anger flashes, fades to fear fast.

The Alpha glares at Hicks, takes a small step in his direction.

Hicks trips back.

Falls.


	11. Alphas

Ianto hisses to Hicks, urgent "Don't. Don't. Get back up. Get up."

Hicks staggers up, weaves, shoulder throbbing. The Alpha lowers its huge head- as if taking aim on him.

Hicks hisses with a terrified rasp "What the fuck is that thing doing!? Why is it moving like that!?"

Ianto, reaching for one of the spears. "Don't move back. Stay right where you are- stare right back at him."

The Alpha, head hung low, grows statue-still, exhaling in big plumes- nostrils flared- feral eyes fixed on Hicks.

Hicks, tensed, tight- Hicks draws his knife, slow. Burke sees this, follows suit.

The Alpha is literally _locked_ on Hicks...Time suspends.

Seconds stretch, strain...becomes unbearable.

Ianto growls low, harsh "Don't. Fucking. Move."

The Alpha finally lifts his massive head and turns, trotting into the misty tree line- several gray shapes follow/fall into formation...everybody breathes big sighs.

" _What the_ fuck" Hick says with confusion "What did it want?"

"You."

Hicks turns. Ianto throws the knife back over to him. "You pull any shit with me again Hicks and I'm gonna kill you."

Hicks, plucking the knife up out of the snow, looks back.

Ianto stares "I want an understanding."

Hicks returns the knife to its sheath, nods short, pissed at himself, disappointed. He sits. Everyone resumes their spot around the fire.

Rhonda spits in Hicks' direction with her own warning as she sees the anger in Ianto's stance. He is a bad man. Uncle only snarls at the Bad Mans.

Hicks looks up at Ianto, real remorse. "I apologize...I'm sorry. That wasn't cool. I was angry."

"No more beefs. Let's squash all the bullshit. We got big, Moby-Dick sized fish to fry, so fuck whatever's between us now. It can wait." Ianto demands, "Conserve it. Yeah?"

He still tastes blood, but lets it lie. He nods to Ianto.

"Alright, if anybody wants to rest, now is probably the time t..." Ianto is cut off as Hicks suddenly lunges toward the fire, as if propelled, as if levitating- the air is pushed/shoved out of him hard-the shock on his face says something horrible is happening-he hits, sprawling, face first, going into the rim of the fire, arms raking embers, scalding- at the same moment, Ianto and the rest of the men realize that there's a Draygorn on his back...He's been hit blind from behind.

The men scramble up, the Draygorn skids off, its hind legs grazing the fire, paddling ash- a yelp escapes- its fur catches, burns, smokes, but it stays on Hicks, it's snout rooting between his shoulders, ripping fabric, big head thrashing- Hicks screams.

Rhonda screams as well, leaps across and latches onto the Draygorn's back- it rears up howling, enraged, hurt.

The Draygorn is off Hicks, snapping like wild, trying to tear the pup off- Ianto rushes in, sinks the shaft of his spear into the Draygorn- he yanks it free as Bron plunges his knife into its shoulder next the Rhonda's teeth. The Draygorn snaps back, whiplash fast, tearing into Bron's fist. Bron falls away, seizing his hand, the thumb nearly torn away completely.

Ianto grabs a partially burning log from the fire with gloved hands and clouts the confused Draygorn, crushing it across the back of its head, it splays out supine, yipping madly as Rhonda slips around the neck to find the throat.

Hicks, anger/aggression redirected now unsheathes his knife, launches himself on top of the prone animal, sticking it with the speed of a sewing bobbin- the blade slipping through the animal's hide like hot butter.

The Draygorn goes soft, limp, slumps- Hicks keeps driving the knife into it, over and over, frothing fury.

Ianto finally hauls him off. Hicks sniffs the Draygorn's blood slathered over his hands- something in him needs to taste it, he does, smiles to himself, relishing it- the lunatic momentarily released.

The Draygorn bleeds out, short spasms ripple through, snout to tail- lapse, resume...then it goes still.

The men look down at it...stunned, still struggling with that initial shock as another realization slowly takes shape...they just killed this thing...Together.

Some primal pulse passes between them and at once they erupt in rough a cheer- kicking the animal's carcass, taunting its dead form, congratulating one another with back-slaps, fist bumps... a unity earned.

Even the pup feels hands slapping gently on her hide and gentle words as she is told that she is mighty and awesome, all things she likes to hear.

Rhonda finally releases her prey and stomps off to one side, taking a mouthful of snow to remove the taste of the blood.

She never felt that level of power before and now she knows what she is. Her mission. This is not a game.

Uncle needs her.


	12. had enough of this shit

 

Ianto is stepping around to look closer at the carcass.

The other creatures seem to have disappeared into the mist like wraiths and Ianto looks up as he heard a rushing noise, then looks to Rhonda who is gleefully chuffing a welcome.

"Jack?"

The Captain explodes from the mist like a man running for his life, engulfing Ianto and kissing him as he clutches him to him.

If this is drowning it's not so bad.

Ianto doesn't feel the need to breathe at all, not when his air is embracing him so warmly.

"There you are you little bugger" Owen calls, "I would smack your wee arse but I see you had a hard night."

"Owen!" Jack leans back but does not let go of Ianto as he trend to address his medic, "Only I get to spank this arse and it will be in the comfort of our own home thank you very much!"

Owen stares and then a rare blush as he snarls that he knew damned well it was Rhonda he was talking to damn it.

Suddenly Ianto feels a strength he didn't know he has, Jack's kisses renewing and reviving his poor old heart so he leans in to give some back for him to hold for later.

He also files away the comment about their home, wanting to know if this means they are going public.

Official like.

Did he mean the flat or the Hub?

Does it matter?

.

.

.

.

Light like magic hour.

A dim, failing glow settling across the world. The ice moves, migrates- a sound akin to ship masts being snapped like pencil lead.

Ianto leads the trudge...the next step more difficult than the last. A bracing gale blows across the river, buffeting their path, their boots moored in thick winter mud...as Owen puffs beside Ianto with Rhonda in his arms.

In the mid-distance, maybe a mile down river, the ice jam changes to a flat, featureless surface of sheet ice.

"Okay, a little ways up here, we can get out of this mud, get on the river, it'll be smoother goi..."

"Forget it."

Ianto turns back to Owen, who stops suddenly, staring down at the muck covering his boots. Hicks stops, looks over his shoulder at Owen.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Hicks demands "You're just gonna sit here! _That's it?_ Is that what you want to do? After what we've been through!? _The shit we've survived so far!"_

"That's exactly why." Owen replies, "I'm tired, hungry and cold. This little one weighs a ton and I cannot get across without breaking my neck!"

"Give her to me" Ianto demands reaching for her but Jack is quicker, snatching the pup who squeaks with surprise.

"Come on, you can ride on my shoulders" Jack sighs, lifting the pup like a toddler to his waiting shoulders and the little one's paws grab his head as she struggles with the height, then starts a soft musical laugh.

"Listen to that" Owen says with wonder "She's never laughed like that before."

"She's growing up" Ianto smiles as he offers a hand to Owen, "Come on buddy. The longer we stop, the harder it will be. We have to keep going before our bodies give out."

"Well, what a pep talker you are" Owen mutters as he stands and brushes off his trousers, "come on then. Once more into the breach and all that shit."

"well done" Ianto said in a baby voice, "Good boy."

Owen pokes out his tongue but follows with a grin as he watches Rhonda wave from the Captains' shoulders.

Then he realizes she will want those a lot.

Damn.

.

.

.

.

Gwen is on the chopper, reaching for Ianto with a look of pure rage and Ianto feels sorry for the poor men who had to put up with her all night. She crushes him to her and checks for missing limbs, finally satisfied that he is not lying or dying, releases him to struggle back into Jack's arms.

"There goes Team Bravo" a soldier crows, "Christ, clean up aisle three."

The distant sound of thunder as the pulse rifles boom their malice and the threat is neutralised. You know, those pesky creature that _didn't_ fall off the back of a Galactic Lorry?

"That's it" Owen barks as he pulls a blanket around Rhonda, "No more fucking Unit retrievals. I want a nice old fashioned weevil hunt fuck it all! Arseholes are trying to kill us."

"Agreed" Ianto huffs as he cuddles up to Jack, "But a hot bath sounds good too."

Owen could say something but he watches as Jack reaches out to cup Ianto's face, leaning in for a kiss and realises there is nothing worth saying to break that bloody hallmark moment.

Sickening really.

Owen goes back to singing the lullaby for his baby.

What.

She likes it.

.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**So ends part II. I know, harsh. The next one will be a wee holiday I think. Maybe the team get treated to something by their long suffering Captain? Or should I sayâ€¦SOOOO not a field trip that they all smell that he is up to something?**

**Smell ya later.**


End file.
